Kim Adams

Canadian, b. 1951

Earth Wagons, 1989-1991

HO model parts, utility trailers, plastic landscape material, electrical components

213.4 (ht) x 426.7 (wi) x 182.9 (dp) cm

Collection of the Winnipeg Art Gallery; Acquired with funds from The Winnipeg Art Gallery Foundation Inc. and the Volunteer Committee to the Winnipeg Art Gallery

G-91-293

Categories:

Sculpture, Canadian Contemporary (1980-present)

Kim Adams is known for his artworks that provide social commentary and understanding through playful presentation. Earth Wagons acts as a microcosm of the post-industrial landscape presented on a miniature scale. Adams uses a wry sense of humour to link specific environmental problems to the broader issues of overpopulation and land misuse from which they stem. People work and play amidst the ecological disasters they have spawned: a landfill, a junkyard, a toxic dump, a chemical spill and fire, and a logging project. In this piece, Adams reminds us that the natural world is limited and cannot withstand human abuses indefinitely.